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Smithers Oasis Announce New Eco-Friendly Floral Foam Launch

Writer's picture: Jackie WhittakerJackie Whittaker

US-based Smithers Oasis has announced the launch of a new plant-based floral foam, called OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam.


OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam is made with plant-based, renewable materials rather than petroleum-based resins and has been certified OK biobased by TÜV Austria, with its highest rating of 4 stars. TÜV Austria is a third-party certifying agency recognized globally.


Robin Kilbride, President and CEO of Smithers-Oasis said “Our global Research team has been pursuing this project for many, many years. Smithers-Oasis invented floral foam in 1954, and we have felt a responsibility to reinvent floral foam as new raw materials have become readily available and the marketplace is clamouring for a more sustainable floral foam.”



The key benefits of OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam include:

  • a 56% lower carbon footprint than petroleum-based floral foams.

  • it float saturates, holding 1.5-2.0 litres of water per brick.

  • it can be cut and shaped whether it is wet or dry.

  • excellent water retention and drainage.

  • no dyes or colourants, being dark greenish-grey when dry and black when saturated.

  • flower life of just over a week (7-8 days).

  • non-toxic, with no requirements for gloves, masks, or special storage of the product.


This new product launch has been met with cautious optimism by many in the floristry industry, which has long acknowledged the environmentally detrimental impact of traditional floral foam.


As OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam is a Smithers Oasis proprietary product, they are not obliged to publish a full specification sheet, which has led some to question the product's true “green” credentials. However, Smithers Oasis has stated, ”With regards to biodegradability or compostability, we are currently testing end of life scenarios, and testing with independent laboratories requires 1-2 years of testing. (Every time we modified the formulation while perfecting the product we had to restart testing.) Smithers-Oasis will not make a claim without independent testing verification. In the meantime, we advise disposing in general waste.”



There are certainly lots of florists excited to get their hands on this new product. UK availability is scheduled for early spring so watch out for more announcements from Smithers Oasis about free samples and pricing.


To learn more about OASIS® Renewal™ Floral Foam, visit renewal.oasisfloral.com.


 

Since we revolutionised the world of floral design back in 1954 with the invention of our amazing water-absorbing floral foam, we've never stopped innovating, problem solving and trend hunting in order to provide exceptional products and outstanding service to professionals of the floral industry.

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